Destination Murder: A Cookie and Cream Cozy Mystery, #2

Chapter 1

I just love weddings, Cookie said to her date.

Jerry Stansted was a handsome man, and even more so in the suit he was wearing. It flattered his strong body. Some women loved men in uniform. For Cookie, she liked a man in a suit. Not that Jerry wasn’t striking in his police uniform, because he certainly was, but there was always something romantic about a man at a wedding. Her own flowery dress did little to improve her figure, but some things were just beyond improving. She was who she was. Jerry had chosen to be with her, and she was happy with that.

Yes, I know you love weddings, was his answer, leaning over to whisper to her so the other people sitting nearby wouldn’t hear him. You’ve told me more than once. It’s romantic, I get it.

Was he getting impatient with her? True, she had mentioned the idea of marriage quite a bit recently, but only because of where they were in their relationship. What had started between her and Jerry was very nice. Very sweet. More than that, she felt like she was in love again. After suffering through a husband who had left her and shattered all of her dreams about forever, she hadn’t been sure she would ever know love again. In fact, she’d had to wait until she was in her sixties to be in love with Jerry Stansted.

That was a lot of waiting for any woman to endure.

Jerry had been the first man she’d given her heart to since that time. The first to say he loved her, for sure. Now, it was like his interest in their relationship was waning. Cookie scolded herself for thinking like that, but she couldn’t help it. He’d just been so distracted lately.

With a frown, she shoved away those thoughts. This was a wedding, after all. A happy time. The cake she’d baked for the ceremony looked even better than she’d expected it to. She was very proud of her work. She always put all of herself into her creations—which was why the folks in Widow’s Rest came to her bakery morning, noon, and night to buy her breads and treats—but she’d taken extra care with this. The cake had taken most of a day to assemble, and the decorating had taken until well after the sun went down. She’d had to close up the Kiss the Cook Bakery early to get it all done on time but she sure had enjoyed doing it. Having her granddaughter help her at each step had made it just that much sweeter.

It might have been simpler, Cookie reflected, if she hadn’t made the cake to look like the front of a large ship with the bride and groom standing at the prow, but it seemed appropriate since the wedding was being held on a cruise. If she were ever to get married again, she wondered, where would she choose to have her ceremony? Maybe right here, like this.

She looked up at Jerry and found a smile on his face. She relaxed to see it. Foolish as she knew it was, she really was having her doubts about the two of them and the direction they were heading. She was just being silly. It had been two years since they started dating, and that smile still set her heart fluttering. Two years was a long time, though. The recipe of their love had reached a boiling point. She couldn’t just let things stir forever. Recently she’d taken to dropping not-so-subtle hints about taking a next step together. That’s when he had started to seem more distant. In fact, guarded might be a better word.

I know you’re anxious to get back to your bakery, Jerry told her, completely misjudging the reason she was troubled, but half the town is here on the ship as it is. Besides, I can’t remember the last time you took a vacation.

Maybe the cruise would do them good, Cookie decided. They were only just one day out of port, and there were four days left to go. She had Jerry cornered with nowhere to go and she might finally be able to work up the nerve to do more than drop hints about what she wanted. Not that she wasn’t enjoying being his girlfriend, but she wasn’t a teenager any longer. Neither was he. Both of them were in their sixties and she didn’t intend to spend the rest of her life alone.

But how to bring up the subject of marrying him without chasing him off? Men were so fickle, after all. She didn’t want to add any more bricks to this wall he seemed to be putting between them…

She shook herself out of her dark contemplations and let the matter drop. For now. Well it’s good that so many of our friends from Widow Rest came to celebrate Jessica’s happiness, after everything she had to go through with that horrible first husband of hers.

Those events with the one-time mayor of Widow’s Rest came back to her, as they so often did. Jessica’s first husband had held her, Jerry and Jessica at gunpoint and only the barest of good coincidences had kept the unthinkable from happening. Jerry had been amazing during the standoff. So had she, Cookie told herself with a smug little smile. She might be a mature woman now but no one would ever accuse her of not being able to take care of herself.

Of course, the real hero had ended up being Clarissa. Her granddaughter had been mighty handy with that frying pan. Guess it ran in the family.

She glanced around them at the other guests in the rows of seats set up in the cruise ship’s main banquet room. It was an enormous space reserved for special onboard occasions like this one. So many of the faces here were neighbors and friends. If the boat sank, Widow’s Rest would become a ghost town. The residential zoning map would have so many holes on it that it would look like a slice of Swiss cheese.

There’s other guests here, too, Cookie reminded Jerry. Who knew Jessica had such a big family? Oh, and don’t forget Madison and Clarissa are here with us, too.

Yeah. How nice that you have your daughter and granddaughter on the cruise with you. Now you’ll have something to do while we’re here.

The cynical edge had returned to his voice and Cookie just couldn’t understand why. Was he upset that she had invited her family? That wasn’t like him. Jessica had said it was fine to have two more people at her wedding. Especially Clarissa, considering that Jessica owed her life in no small part to that brave teenager.

Madison and Clarissa had sort of invited themselves when they asked if they could come along to help Cookie. Clarissa had grown to love spending her summers working in the bakery with her grandmother, and she had certainly learned her way around cake baking. In fact, the three of them—Clarissa, Cookie, and Madison—had grown much closer over the past two years. This was like a mini family vacation for them and Cookie figured the timing couldn’t have been better. Clarissa would be off starting college soon enough. There was no telling how often they would get to see each other then. Her boyfriend Hamish was already in college. Soon, Clarissa would have her own life.

Cookie’s daughter had her own life now, too. Madison’s husband had finally found his place as Clarissa’s step-father. Those three were a tight family now. Thankfully, Joseph had been able to take the time off from work to be here. Not that Cookie had seen much of him since the trip started. Madison had made her excuses for him but it seemed to Cookie that Joseph was under a lot of stress. Well. It wasn’t her place to ask, she supposed.

Although, that did give her an opportunity to drop the M word with Jerry again.

I think Madison sees this as a second honeymoon, she said as casually as she could. "You know, after her marriage to Joseph. A second marriage can be so complicated. I think it’s just like a good recipe. It needs time, and effort.

Jerry’s face stayed carefully set in a neutral expression, and he turned his eyes away. Cookie frowned. She certainly wasn’t imagining that! Could there be something really bothering him?

If it was, he held it to himself as the ceremony began to get under way.

The groom strode to the front of the room in his black tuxedo. Benjamin Roth, businessman and entrepreneur and the man Jessica loved. Even Cookie had to admit he cut a striking figure. In spite of what she might think of the man personally, he had been good to Jessica. Maybe she was being good for him, too, because he hadn’t been… oh, what was the phrase her granddaughter used? Right. Not quite the raging jerk he used to be.

He was a tall and almost elegant man, standing there in his black tuxedo. The gray at his temples had become more pronounced of late but he was still infuriatingly young for his age. Or, Cookie thought, maybe that was just his artificial tan.

As he waited for his bride-to-be, the light in his blue eyes was pure and honest. It was easy to see that the man was in love. It made it really hard for Cookie to keep hating him. It had been two years now since Roth had made a play to steal her bakery, after all. That had to count for something.

The crowd quieted down. The only sound was the constant hum of the boat engines and the muted whispers as people strained to catch a glimpse of Jessica when she appeared.

Then the music began, pre-recorded and played through the room’s speakers, and the two bridesmaids and two groomsmen stood at the front of the room with Benjamin Roth and waited for Jessica to walk up the aisle. Cookie had been introduced to one of the the bridesmaids, a young woman with a complexion like milk chocolate and a stylishly feathered haircut who was one of Jessica’s nieces. One of the groomsmen was part of Jessica’s family, too. Her step-brother, or so Cookie had been told. There was a rumor floating around about that man’s checkered past but Cookie didn’t like to listen to rumors. All she knew was that he had a sour expression on his face considering it was his sister who was getting married.

Well, step-sister, Cookie reminded herself. In some families that made all the difference.

At the side entrance to the banquet room, a canopy of gauzy sheets had been hung on collapsible support poles to create a privacy screen. As the music started to play, Jessica emerged to the appreciative oohs and ahs of those gathered, friends and family both. She had picked a cream-colored dress with a low neckline and bunches of lace at the waist. It flattered her slim body. When Cookie had asked her about the color she had only laughed and said this wasn’t her first wedding. White was for blushing brides. Not that Benjamin didn’t make her blush sometimes, she had confided with a mischievous grin.

Now Jessica’s eyes found Benjamin’s from across the room, and for the two of them there wasn’t anyone else in the world.

Jerry handed Cookie a handkerchief. He knew she got emotional at moments like this. Hallmark movies, Nicolas Spark books, and weddings. He knew her so well. It was little things like this that let Cookie know she was just being foolish to worry about his feelings for her. Of course he still loved her. If there was something bothering him, it had to be totally unrelated to the two of them.

Before the logical, traitorous side of her brain could argue that point, she turned her attention back to the wedding ceremony.

Oh, she looks so beautiful, Cookie said, turning in her seat to follow Jessica up the aisle, which was really a red carpet laid out straight down the middle of the room with rose petals strewn across it. The cruise really wasn’t sparing any expense for the ceremony. Or rather, Benjamin Roth wasn’t worrying about the cost. Men with money rarely did in Cookie’s experience.

I’m glad for her, Jerry agreed in a hushed voice. Especially after everything she had to suffer in private during her first marriage. Abused women don’t always come back from something like that.

Cookie rolled her eyes. Jerry, this is a wedding. Can’t you not be a police officer for a little while?

He looked mystified that she would say something like that. I’m always a police officer, Cookie. That won’t ever change.

What was he trying to tell her? He quickly reached a hand out to take hers and give it a squeeze, a little smile on his face, like he was apologizing for what he’d said. Something was going on with him. She could feel it.

Thankfully she didn’t have time to think about it at the moment.

Jessica arrived at the front, to stand with Benjamin. The photographer continued to snap pictures of the whole thing. Whoever was in charge of the music turned the volume down slowly, until silence fell again. The captain of the ship himself stood there with the bride and groom, in a white uniform with gold braids across the shoulders, ready to perform the ceremony.

Friends, the captain’s voice boomed, we are here today aboard this magnificent vessel, the SS Seafoam, to witness the union of two people who truly love each other. For those of you who don’t know me my name is Captain Abrams, and it is my honor to officiate over this marriage today. For those of you who don’t know the bride or the groom, well, you might be in the wrong room.

Quiet laughter rippled through the room. Next to the captain, Benjamin suppressed a scowl. Apparently he hadn’t paid for humor.

Life is a vessel, Captain Abrams continued, a ship taking you on a journey that is best shared with someone you can put your complete trust in. Someone who will always be there for you in body, and mind, and spirit.

Jerry’s hand tightened on Cookie’s. She smiled and lost all sense of what was said next. He was still with her, right here. No reason to worry, she told herself. If he still holds your hand, and still says he loves you, then don’t complicate things.

Somewhere toward the end she was able to pay attention again.

Do you, Benjamin, take Jessica to be your lawfully wedded wife?

I do, Benjamin said.

Cookie pursed her lips. She still wasn’t sure what Jessica saw in the man. Benjamin Roth would never be anybody other than… Benjamin Roth. On the other hand, so far he hadn’t proven to be a killer like Jessica’s last husband.

That was always a plus.

The ship rocked as Jessica and Roth gazed into each other’s eyes. For a moment, she pictured her and Jerry up there. What might a wedding to Jerry be like?

Do you, Jessica, the captain said, "take Benjamin to be your lawfully